Metal-shaping machine.



H. NEUMAN.

METAL SHAPING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED JAN, 21, 1912.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

r w I m V W A. my 4 A 3V4 H NEUMAN METAL SHAPING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.27,1912.

Patented Mar. 24, 191% 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EM -i UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

HUGO NEUMAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DIAMOND MANUFACTURI COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

METAL-SHAPING MACHINE.

Application filed January 27, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 673,922.

which will progressively shape a strip into the desired form as it is passed through the machine and which will permit the strip to be continuously and rapidly fed to the machine; to provide means for easily and accurately relatively adjusting the cooperating forming members; and to feed the strip through the machine so as to avoid drawing thereof.

Other objects of my invention will more fully hereinafter appear.

The invention resides in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of parts as herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 represents a s de elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig, 2 is a similar View, looking in the opposite direction; Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the guide rollers removed; Fig. 4 is a section on the line ww of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a channel member formed by the machine; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are side elevations of the several pairs of forming rolls; Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive illustrate different stages of the metal strip during forming; Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive are elevationsof the several dies; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the mandrel; Fig. 19 is a section on the line y-y of Fig. 3; and Fig. 20 is a detail view, showing one of the bolts.

A represents the bed of the machine, which bed is formed of a single casting provided with a plurality of spaced transverse bores a a a extending therethrough, and with a corresponding number of recesses b b 6 arranged directly above the bores. Journaled in the former are shafts B B B and rotatively mounted in the recesses are shafts C C C The ends of these several pairs of shafts project without their bearings, and

'at one side of the bed the shafts B B B have fixed thereto forming rolls D D D which cooperate with complementary rolls E E E upon the shafts C C C At the opposite side of the bed the pairs of shafts are provided with intermeshing gears 0 0 0 and the shafts B B B also have secured thereto sprockets d d d which are driven through the medium of a chain c from a drive sprocket f. The latter is preferably rotated through the medium of a pulley f and a belt f leading to a suitable source of power. By this arrangement, when the sprocket f is set in operation, all of the forming rolls are positively driven. To prevent the chain from leaving the sprockets, guide and tension rolls S S S are provided, which are suitably j ournaled on stub shafts S The stub shafts; for the rolls S S are secured to the bed, while the stub shaft for the roll S is carried by an arm 3*, which is slotted at its lower end at S to adjustably engage a clamping screw S upon the .bed. Thus, by adjusting the arm the desired tension may be placed upon the chain.

Each of the shafts C C C is journaled in a bore F in and eccentric to a tubular sleeve G rotatably mounted in the bottom of the recess. This sleeve is held to the recess bottom by a block H provided on the top thereof with bores I for receiving springs g which yieldably hold the block in engagement with the sleeve. these springs are employed, one adjacent each end of the block, and all of the springs are held under the desired compression by a plate J secured to the top of the bed as by bolts h, the plate having counterbores h for receiving the upper ends of the springs. Each of the springs is adjusted by means of a set-screw h engaging a plate 2' forming an abutment for the top of the spring. Thus, the tension upon the several sets of rolls may be independently adjusted. At one side of the bed each sleeve is provided with a handle 2' for rotating the same in the recess, so as to lower or raise the shaft, thereby moving the forming rolls upon the shaft toward or from its cooperating rolls. This handle is held in its adjusted position by a pair of abutments such as bolts K L positioned upon opposite sides of the handle, each bolt having a nut j slidably engaging an undercut recess is in the side edge of the plate J, and being provided with a sleeve Preferably two of Z interposed between the head of the bolt and the side of the late. By tightening the bolt, the sleeve Wlll be clamped against the end of the plate, while the abutment may be moved longitudinally of the slot to permit the adjustment of the handle by slightly unscrewing the bolt.

. The machine illustrated in the drawings is especially designed for making a channelshaped strip M of the form shown in Fig. 5, which is employed-as a resilient bearingfor the edge of a glass panel. This strip has the side edges 0 thereof rebent to provide inwardly extending portions 0 spaced from the sides, while the latter and the bottom p of the channel are slightly grooved, as indicated by the reference-letters g 1". The strip is formed from a flat ribbon of metal I continuously fed to the machine from a 20 supply reel not shown.

In operation, the flat ribbon is fed from the reel over a guide roll 0 to the rolls D E, from which it passes to a die P, then through the rolls D E D E to a die Q, the strip as it leaves the latter having the finished form. Taking up in detail the several steps of progressively shaping the strip-the roll E has formed in the face thereof a groove a and projections b and 0 while the roll D has a complementary projection d and grooves e and f positioned 'in operative relation to the grooves and projections. The portions a d serve to shape the groove 9 in the part of the strip which forms the bottom of the channeled article, while the portions 6 e and c f slightly bend the sides, the strip as it leaves these rolls having the form shown by Fig. .9. The die P at the forward end has substantially the same cross-section as that ofthe strip when it leaves the rolls D E, but the longitudinal section of this die gradually tapers to the form illustrated in Fig. 13, serving to roll the edges of the strip inward, givin the latter the contour of Fig. 10. In passlng through the rolls D E the edges are rolled slightly further, the members D E having cooperating grooves g h adjacent thesides of their faces for effecting this operation. At thecenter, however, the cooperating surfaces are the same as the central portion of the rolls D E. The strip leaves the rolls D E in the form shown by Fig. 11, and as it passes through the form ing rolls D E is partially channeled. The face of the roll D is grooved or channeled at 71 the bottom j of the groove having the same shape as the projection d on the roll D, that is the configuration of the bottom 10' of the finished product, while the sides of the groove are diverged. 7: is a projection upon the roll E having a face Z of a contour complementary to the portion. 1'' of the member D but the sides of this projection "are straight and spaced a suflicient distance from the diverging sides to permit the beaded ends of the strip to pass therethrough. Passing from this last set .of forming rolls the strip as it is fed to the die. Q has the configuration shown by Fig. 12. This die comprises a plurality of spaced forming members .Q Q Q Q, through which passes a mandrel Q The forming apertures of these members gradually decrease in size from themember Q, to Q (see Figs. 14 to 17 inclusive), and the apertured portion of each member tapers in lon- ,gitudinal section from the entrance to the exit side thereof, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 19. The mandrel Q is slightly tapered longitudinally from its forward end, while the bottom and sides are slightly concaved to fit the bottom and sides of the channel strip. As it passes through the die Q, the form of the member is progressively changed from that shown in Fig. 12 to the finished strip.

Inthe construction of resilient bearing illustrated in Fig. 6, it is desirable to temper the base, but to avoid tempering of the sides. following manner: The several pairs of shafts are driven at the same speed, but

the circumference of the roll D is greater than that of the roll E, producing a difference in speed between the coacting surfaces. The portions 0, d of the rolls are yieldably held in contact with the strip, but the remaining portions of the forming surfaces of the rolls D E are slightly spaced. Therefore, as the strip is fed through these rolls the difference in speed of the portions a 03 will tend to slightly lengthen the middle of the strip, which is substntially taken care of by a slight lateral flowing of the metal. Any distortion of the strip is more or less remedied by the die P, but as the strip passes into engagement with the rolls D E the strip is straightened. The pressure of the roll E is greater than that of the roll E, and also the central portions of the peripheries of the second set of rolls are the only parts of the forming surfaces that are in engagement. The variation between the circumferences of the second pair of rolls is the same as that of the first, and as the strip passes through the members D E a further tempering of the center thereof will be effected. The difference in circumference between the working faces of the rolls D E is considerably greater than the variation between the circumferences of the first two sets of rolls; likewise, the tension placed upon the roll E through the medium of its spring 9 is much greater than that of the roll E. In passing through the rolls This result is accomplished in the' D E the operation of tempering the base a is completed, and this is effected simulta-- understood that the central portion of the strip is progressively tempered and that the sides are partially beaded and shaped before the strip is bent into channelform.

In metal bending machines where the article is of comparatively small cross-section, a slight variation in the thickness of the metal is quite frequently highly objectionable. The fact that the thickness of the metal strip differs slightly is of little importance in the initial steps of shaping the strip, but as the opening in the finishing die is more or less restricted a very slight unevenness in the metal passing therethrough tends to give the latter an uneven or varying cross-section and also produces a drawing of the sides. To overcome this objection, I have arranged the mandrel within the members Q Q Q Q}, so that it will be free to move, within certain limits, in relation to the forming apertures thereof. As shown, the mandrel is provided with a vertical projection n which is arranged within a slot 0 in the member Q and has the forward end thereof positioned to abut against the member Of, the forward movement of the mandrel being thereby limited. The portion of the mandrel which passes through the forming apertures is of a size sufficiently smaller than the latter to adjust laterally or vertically, was to compensate for any uneven thickness in the strip.

The members of the die Q are supported upon a bracket R which has recesses R within which the lower edges of these members are seated, the latter being secured within their seats by spacing plates S that are clamped thereto by screws S WVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a metal shaping machine, the combination with a bed, of a pair of shafts carried thereby, cooperating forming rolls fixed on said shafts, means for driving said shafts to produce a difference in speed between the cooperating faces of the rolls, and means for yieldably pressing one of the shafts toward the other.

2. In a metal shaping machine, the combination with a bed, of a pair of shafts carried thereby, cooperating forming rolls fixed on said shafts, means for driving said shafts to produce a difference in speed between the cooperating faces of the rolls, and means for yieldably pressing one of the shafts toward the other, the cooperating faces of the forming rolls having a portion of their work engaging faces spaced a greater distance than the remaining portions thereof.

3. In a machine for shaping flat metallic strips the combination with a bed, of a pair of shafts carried thereby, cooperating forming rolls fixed on said shafts and means for driving said shafts to produce a difference in speed between the cooperating faces of the rolls, said rolls having a portion only of their work engaging faces adapted to exert a metal spreading pressure upon the strip.

at. In a machine for shaping fiat metallic strips, the combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of forming rolls mounted thereupon, means for driving the members of each pair of rolls to produce a difference in speed between the cooperating faces there of, the rolls of each pair having a portion only of their work engaging faces adapted to exert a metal spreading pressure upon a portion of the strip.

5. In a machine for shaping fiat metallic strips, the combination with a bed, a plurality of pairs of forming rolls mounted thereupon for progressively shaping a portion of the c oss-section of the strip and for progressively tempering another portion. of the crosssection of the strip during shaping.

6. In a machine for shaping flat metallic strips, the combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of forming rolls mounted thereupon for progressively shaping a portion of the cross-section of the strip and for progressively tempering another portion of the cross-section of the strip during the shaping, and a die beyond the forming rolls for shaping the strip without drawing.

7. In a machine for forming channel strips from flat metallic ribbon, the combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of rolls mounted thereupon for partially shaping the edges of the ribbons and simultaneously partially tempering the center of the ribbon, and a pair of channel rolls adapted to temper the center of the strip simultaneously with the channeling.

8. In a machine for forming channel strips from flat metallic ribbons, the combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of forming rolls mounted thereupon for partially shaping the edges of the ribbon and simultaneously partially tempering the ribbon center, a pair of channeling rolls adapted to temper the center of the strip simultaneously with the channeling, and a finishing die arranged beyond the channeling rolls.

9. In a machine for shaping flatmetallic strips, the combination With a bed, of a plurality of pairs of forming rolls mounted thereon for progressively shaping the strip,

a finishing die beyond the rolls, comprising a plurality of spaced members provided with openings for progressively shaping the strip, and a mandrel extending through said openings and freely movable in relation to said members within certain limits.

10. The combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of shafts, one member of each pair being ournaled in a fixed bearing, an adjustable bearing within which-the other member is journaled, intermeshing gears on each pair of shafts, a drive connection bethetween the fixed members of the several pairs,

bearing, an adjustable eccentric sleeve carried by the bed, a complementary shaft journaled in said sleeve, and codperating forming rolls mounted on said shafts and arranged at one side of the bed.

12. The combination with a bed, of a hearing in said bed, a shaft journaled in said beaf'ing, a spring pressed adjustable eccentric mounted on said bed, a complementary shaft journaled in said eccentric, and cooperating forming rolls mounted on said shafts.

13. The combination with a bed, of a bearing in said bed, a shaft journaled in said bearing, an adjustable eccentric sleeve carried by the bed, a complementary shaft journaled in said sleeve, cooperating'forming rolls mounted on said shafts, a handle without the bed for adjusting said sleeve 'movable about the axis-0f the latter, and

means on the bed for retainingthe handle in its adjusted position.

14:. The combination with a bed having a bore formed therein and provided with a recess, a shaft journaled in said bore, an eccentric sleeve mounted in said recess, a

spring pressed member for yieldably holding said eccentric sleeve in place, means for shafts, and a han le varying the tension placed upon said member, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, and

cooperating forming rolls mountedon said 16. The combination with a bed, of a bearcentric sleeve carried by the bed',-a complementary shaft journaled in said sleeve and also having portions projecting upon opposite sides of the bed, cooperating forming rolls mounted on the projections of said shafts at one side of the bed, and cooperating gears fixed to the projections of the shafts upon the opposite side of the bed.

17. The combination with a bed, of a plurality of hearings in said bed, shafts'journaled in said bearings, a plurality of springpressed adjustable eccentrics mounted on the bed, complementary shafts journaled in said eccentric, cooperating forming rolls mounted on said shafts, and means for independently adjusting the springs of the eccentrics.

18. The combination with a bed having aplurality of bores therein and provided with a corresponding number of recesses, shaft-s journaled in said bores, eccentric sleeves mounted in said recesses, a spring-pressed member for each sleeve actin to yieldably hold the same in place, a cap or the bed extending. across said recesses, means for independently varying the tension placed upon said spring-pressed member, shafts journaled in the sleeves, and cooperating forming rolls mounted on said shafts.

19. In a metal shaping machine, the combination with a bed, of a plurality of pairs of shafts carried thereby, cooperatin' forming rolls fixed on each pair of sha ts having faces for shaping the metal, means for yieldably pressing one of theshaftsof each pair toward the other, and a common drive train for simultaneously and positively driving all of saidshafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I nueo iiEUMAN.

Witnesses I W. J. BELKNAP, JAMES P. BARnY. 

